Walk Post 058 - Stolen Walk in Greenfield
Sep. 17th, 2010 06:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thousandmilesblogDate of Walk: 04/09/10
Walk organized by: Self
Start time: 10:30
Start location: Greenfield Station
Walk length: 8.59 miles
Weather conditions: Warm, sunny
Dove Stone Reservoir from the edge of Dove Stone Moss
Details:
Oh, what a beautiful day! I went adventuring, except with good planning (which was mostly not mine). I received an email about a group walk earlier in the week which contained a really good, detailed description of the walk with timings that made me think it was perhaps a bit much to attempt in terms of pace uphill. Still, it did look like a very nice walk so I resolved to give it a go at my own pace. The long uphill section also gave me chance to work on my fitness goal, but there was a thoroughly nice walk tagged onto that. I'm not sure I've ever been up onto that particular hill, if I have I was much younger then. I'd done the other two big hills surrounding my favourite local beauty spot, so this one was on the list. There are lots of odd rocks and things up there that I'd read about, and I wanted to go and see a few of them. The memorial cross that I passed is for Oldham MP James Platt, who died there in a gun accident in 1857.
Starting from Greenfield Station, I walked up to the main car park at Dove Stone. There were a lot of female cyclists around (I wondered if they were part of a club), all looking happy to be out on what may be one of the last warm days of the year. From there I took the main path around the reservoir past the sailing club to the bottom of Chew Valley Road, and began the ascent. It's not steep, and it's well surfaced, but the last few times have really taken it out of me because for me it's a good hour of constant ascending. I made it with only a couple of brief stops, in just over an hour. I stopped at the top for lunch. It seemed very peaceful even though there were people around. I think most people maintain a sort of respectful silence up there, or they're just out of breath after walking up that hill. I carried on across the dam wall path towards the continuation of the Oldham Way. The path labelled on the map isn't too clear as it goes across Dove Stone Moss, and is criss-crossed by a number of almost identical-looking paths and just fades out completely in places. Plus, the view isn't that good from the middle of the hill. So I resolved to walk around the edge of the hill, which is easier to follow and does have a reasonably good path (with plenty of rocks to sit down on).
The views from the edge were wonderful, and there were lots of interesting weathered rocks to look at. I passed the little cairn on Fox Stone, and Little and Great Dove Stone Rocks. At Great Dove Stone Rocks I saw two climbers. It's good to see people up there making the most of the landscape. On reaching the river I had to find my way back onto the path, and was glad of both my map-reading course and Henrietta, which in combination helped me figure out where I needed to be. There were a couple of steep descents to cross streams, and steep climbs on the other side, but I made both without incident and felt quite pleased with that. Ashway Gap is slightly spectacular in its own small way, and seems to creep up on you somewhat from that approach. I took the path that leads to Ashway Stone, then where the path forks took the lower option that doesn't pass as close to the memorial cross and winds down to the top of the weir. From there I was on familiar ground as I continued across the weir and through the landslip rubble, passing under Dove Stone Rocks and rejoining the main path around the reservoir close to the bottom of Chew Valley Road. I stayed on the main path back to the car park, and since the little bus that goes up there was almost due, took that back to the station.
The area felt familiar enough to give me the confidence to tackle both the terrain and the navigation, and I finished the walk with a sense of achievement at having managed both without any problems. It really is lovely up there, and it's nice to see my favourite view from a new angle. I have a lot of memories attached to that area, some happy and some sad, and the various landmarks and the fantastic views make it a good place to do some remembering.
Oh, I also spotted a fluffy dog enjoying a walk around the reservoir on my way back to the car park. It made me smile.
Messing about in boats
Chew Reservoir, a nice place to rest after the long walk up Chew Valley Road
Splash of blue in a sea of greens
On the edge, looking back down the long winding road
Looking down at the reservoir from the edge of the hill
Near the edge, just before a number of people scrambled up from below and looked very pleased with themselves about it
View from further along, with more interesting rocks
Cairn, I think this was the one at Fox Stone
These ones are possibly Dean Rocks. They don't have signs
On the descent towards the weir
Evil Giraffe
Walk organized by: Self
Start time: 10:30
Start location: Greenfield Station
Walk length: 8.59 miles
Weather conditions: Warm, sunny
Dove Stone Reservoir from the edge of Dove Stone Moss
Details:
Oh, what a beautiful day! I went adventuring, except with good planning (which was mostly not mine). I received an email about a group walk earlier in the week which contained a really good, detailed description of the walk with timings that made me think it was perhaps a bit much to attempt in terms of pace uphill. Still, it did look like a very nice walk so I resolved to give it a go at my own pace. The long uphill section also gave me chance to work on my fitness goal, but there was a thoroughly nice walk tagged onto that. I'm not sure I've ever been up onto that particular hill, if I have I was much younger then. I'd done the other two big hills surrounding my favourite local beauty spot, so this one was on the list. There are lots of odd rocks and things up there that I'd read about, and I wanted to go and see a few of them. The memorial cross that I passed is for Oldham MP James Platt, who died there in a gun accident in 1857.
Starting from Greenfield Station, I walked up to the main car park at Dove Stone. There were a lot of female cyclists around (I wondered if they were part of a club), all looking happy to be out on what may be one of the last warm days of the year. From there I took the main path around the reservoir past the sailing club to the bottom of Chew Valley Road, and began the ascent. It's not steep, and it's well surfaced, but the last few times have really taken it out of me because for me it's a good hour of constant ascending. I made it with only a couple of brief stops, in just over an hour. I stopped at the top for lunch. It seemed very peaceful even though there were people around. I think most people maintain a sort of respectful silence up there, or they're just out of breath after walking up that hill. I carried on across the dam wall path towards the continuation of the Oldham Way. The path labelled on the map isn't too clear as it goes across Dove Stone Moss, and is criss-crossed by a number of almost identical-looking paths and just fades out completely in places. Plus, the view isn't that good from the middle of the hill. So I resolved to walk around the edge of the hill, which is easier to follow and does have a reasonably good path (with plenty of rocks to sit down on).
The views from the edge were wonderful, and there were lots of interesting weathered rocks to look at. I passed the little cairn on Fox Stone, and Little and Great Dove Stone Rocks. At Great Dove Stone Rocks I saw two climbers. It's good to see people up there making the most of the landscape. On reaching the river I had to find my way back onto the path, and was glad of both my map-reading course and Henrietta, which in combination helped me figure out where I needed to be. There were a couple of steep descents to cross streams, and steep climbs on the other side, but I made both without incident and felt quite pleased with that. Ashway Gap is slightly spectacular in its own small way, and seems to creep up on you somewhat from that approach. I took the path that leads to Ashway Stone, then where the path forks took the lower option that doesn't pass as close to the memorial cross and winds down to the top of the weir. From there I was on familiar ground as I continued across the weir and through the landslip rubble, passing under Dove Stone Rocks and rejoining the main path around the reservoir close to the bottom of Chew Valley Road. I stayed on the main path back to the car park, and since the little bus that goes up there was almost due, took that back to the station.
The area felt familiar enough to give me the confidence to tackle both the terrain and the navigation, and I finished the walk with a sense of achievement at having managed both without any problems. It really is lovely up there, and it's nice to see my favourite view from a new angle. I have a lot of memories attached to that area, some happy and some sad, and the various landmarks and the fantastic views make it a good place to do some remembering.
Oh, I also spotted a fluffy dog enjoying a walk around the reservoir on my way back to the car park. It made me smile.
Messing about in boats
Chew Reservoir, a nice place to rest after the long walk up Chew Valley Road
Splash of blue in a sea of greens
On the edge, looking back down the long winding road
Looking down at the reservoir from the edge of the hill
Near the edge, just before a number of people scrambled up from below and looked very pleased with themselves about it
View from further along, with more interesting rocks
Cairn, I think this was the one at Fox Stone
These ones are possibly Dean Rocks. They don't have signs
On the descent towards the weir
Evil Giraffe
